Forevermore
by singsongsung
Summary: Post 6x13. Lucas, Peyton, and dreams coming true.


**A/N: **This wrote itself in about fifteen minutes. How could I not have a oneshot floating around in my head after the amazing LP in last night's episode? Short and pretty fluffy. Lyrics/title from Katie Herzig's _Forevermore. _

I am very, very okay with getting reviews. ;)

**Forevermore**

_You could be my white knight_

_I could be your fairytale_

_You could come and save me_

_But that is not the end..._

"Hey, baby," she whispers, her voice a little hoarse, still thick from sleep. She speaks quietly to her child, Lucas' child, _their _child. "Daddy's home," she adds meaningfully, happily, glancing up to meet her fiancé's eyes again.

He shakes his head in wonderment and disbelief, grins at her as she cups his cheek in her hand. He leans down and gives her a perfect kiss, the kind she never wants to end. She reaches out, her arms going around his neck, pulling her closer. His hand is still resting flat on her bare stomach, a gentle, reassuring weight, and it all feels so right.

"Lie with me," she whispers, tugging at the collar on his shirt.

He obliges her, kicking off his shoes and crawling into bed with her. He lifts one arm so that she can rest her head in the crook, against his shoulder. As they settle in with one another, his hand lands on top of her belly again and she can't help but smile. He's so protective.

Lucas kisses her again, another one of those kisses, lips and tongue and sweetness, that feels like it could stop her heart. It feels like a promise, but it's not pushing for anything. Her body is buzzing, as it always does, just from his closeness. She wants him, of course she does, but it's been a long day full of worry about Sam; and on top of it all her mind was constantly occupied by the thought of her child. She just wants him to hold her.

"We're having a baby," she breathes, giddy all of a sudden. She's wanted this moment since she found out.

His smile is breathtaking as his hand caresses her skin; "Yeah, we are. Wow."

"I want this," she admits. "I always have, I just didn't expect it to be so soon. It scares me, but I…"

His hand gets lost in her messy hair as he kisses her forehead. "I can't think of a better time, babe."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he says with a decisive nod. "Does anyone else know?"

"Haley," she admits shyly. "I didn't tell her…we were just talking, about Jamie and Sam and I…kind of slipped up. She figured it out. Called dibs on godmother."

He chuckles. "We'll see about that."

She can tell he wants to say more and prods, "What is it?"

"I just wish…I could've been here with you when you found out. Did you suspect anything, before I left?"

She opens her mouth and stops short, words catching in her throat, hesitating. She'd known this conversation was coming, but she thought it could at least wait until morning.

"What is it?" he asks, reading her like an open book, as always.

"I have…some stuff to tell you. Some things to talk about."

"Okay…tell me."

"Remember that night, when you had the really weird dream about the fifties and I got shot and Haley and Nathan got married after knowing each other for only twenty-four hours and Dan was my guardian and –"

He cuts her off before she can retell his entire dream. "Yeah, I remember. And it was the forties."

She rolls her eyes playfully, because that is the most insignificant detail of all. "Well, look, when I called you that night from Tric…I hung up the phone and I kind of collapsed."

His eyebrows fly upward and he holds her closer automatically. "What? Why didn't you tell me? What's wrong? The baby?"

She reaches up and runs her hand lightly over the contours of his face, hoping to calm him. "Luke, stop, I didn't mean to panic you."

"What's wrong?" he demands, but kindly, softly.

"I went to the doctor the next day; I didn't know what it could be…it was my stomach, it hurt so bad. And he was talking about…medical history in my family and all these tests and making it sound like…"

He kisses her cheek to comfort her. "Like what?" he murmurs.

"Like I had cancer," she answers softly.

"God, Peyton…babe, why didn't you _tell_ me?"

"I don't know," she admits, swallowing around the lump in her throat and shrugging. Her shoulders are aching and Lucas pulls the blanket up as though she needs warmth. "I was scared, and I guess I…I didn't want to scare you, too."

"Peyton," he sighs, somehow managing to sound understanding and scold her all at once. "I love you."

"I know," she says, offering up a small smile that falls from her lips almost as quickly as it appears.

"And I want you to tell me this stuff. I want you to let me feel what you feel. Don't hide stuff from me." He smirks, trying to make her smile as he says, "You know how well that worked out with Julian."

She bats at his chest half-heartedly. "That's not exactly funny."

"His dad would be amused," Lucas sighs and she frowns in confusion.

"He introduced you to his dad?"

"He's _working_ for his dad."

"Oh…" Slowly, puzzle pieces click together in her mind. "Well that must…change things. Paul was always nice to me, but he and Julian didn't get along very well."

"Yeah, well _Paul_ is convinced that Julian is still in love with you, and that he's only doing the movie to get you back."

"That's ridiculous," she scoffs.

"Is it?"

She's surprised at his sudden vulnerability. "_Yes, _honey, it is! Based on…on what I saw today and what I've seen in the time he's been here, Julian is here for that movie and that movie alone." Her mind drifts to Brooke and Sam for a moment, but she leaves those details out, she and Lucas are already having a multi-faceted conversation. "And even if he is…it doesn't _matter_." She looks her fiancé right in the eyes as she folds her hand lightly around his, both still resting on her stomach, and thinks of the baby she's carrying. "You don't have to worry. You've got me. And we've got…baby Scott, here."

Lucas smiles, giving her hand a squeeze. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not, I got you off topic. Tell me about what else the doctor said."

She shrugs again. "They ran a bunch of tests, and I got the call last night…I was expecting bad news, Luke, I really was. So this just…it blew me away. And then I called you."

"I'm so glad…" he trails off. "But what…why were you in pain? Why were they talking about cancer? Are you and the baby okay?"

"The doctor thinks I've been under too much stress lately…I guess that's true, with Mick coming out of nowhere, and everything, but I've been feeling fine. And I'm too skinny, my body isn't equipped to…take care of another life. I've got to be careful…eat a lot, eat well. Take things slow. Try to stay relaxed." She takes a deep breath. "I have a follow-up later this week. You're supposed to go to New York for a meeting then, so…"

"So it's cancelled," he says immediately.

"Luke," she sighs.

"No. I'm going to be there. With you."

She nods and leans in for a kiss of gratitude. "Luke…I'm just…"

"What?" the single word is somehow soft and gentle and loving.

"What if something _is_ wrong? What if something _goes_ wrong?" She's more comfortable than she ever imagined she'd be with the idea of being a mother. It feels so good, so right to her, _already_. She already feels so bonded to her baby, so attached to the notion of movement and first kicks, the thought of picking names and colours for the room and cute little toys, the idea of holding her child in six or seven months.

"Don't think like that. Okay? Don't let your mind go there. Things are working for us right now, Peyt, for the first times in years. And that…the rightness and the goodness and our love, that's what made our baby. And if he or she is anything like his – or her – mom, then she – or he – is a fighter." He kisses her forehead. "You're both going to be fine. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure of that."

She smiles at her, blinking back her tears, "I love you so much. Sometimes I don't even feel like I can tell you how much." She laughs as a tear slides down her cheek. "Even when you're struggling with pronouns, I love you so much."

He grins back at her fondly, eyes lit up with joy. He looks awed as the pad of his thumb moves gently against the lower part of her tummy. "You don't have to tell me, babe. I know. I feel it, too." He shakes his head, still looking amazed. "It's hardly sunk in. I can't believe it," he marvels.

"I can," she says easily. She felt something change within her the moment she found out, and she can't believe she didn't notice it sooner. Her outlook on the world is different today, and she feels so unbelievably happy, maybe even happier than she's ever been. "It's a dream come true," she murmurs sleepily, snuggling closer to him.

"And here you are, next to me," he whispers, kissing her forehead again, lips lingering there.

She blushes, cuddling closer still, and kisses his chest through the material of his shirt. "Not all your dreams should come true, Lucas. Not that one in the forties with Dan and Haley and guns…" Her mind in drifting as she travels to dreamland. "This one's different. It's good."

He takes her back to the day, the first time he promised her everything and made her feel whole, yet again, in the next words he speaks:

"It's perfect."


End file.
